Many sellers’ ask their agents to host an open house once they list their property for sale. The hope is that someone who walks through the front door will fall in love with it and want to purchase it. It is a proven way for the home to receive added exposure. While it is a great marketing tool, if it is not done correctly, their could be unintended consequences.
Sadly there are some who like to take advantage of others’ vulnerabilities. Talk to any experienced agent and they will tell you there are precautions to take in preparation for an open house to insure that the homeowner’s personal belongings and information are protected.
While many of the precautions seem obvious, there are a few that not everyone thinks about, however they are equally important. When you interview an agent to sell your home, ask them about the steps they take to ensure safety when doing an open house.
Below are some things you will want to make sure both you and your agent do when you plan to have an open house and even regular showings.
- Put away valuables. Keeping valuable items out of sight helps keep the temptation for theft away as well as protects it against getting broken.
- Check all back entrances to make sure they are locked. The last thing you or your agent want is for someone to use a back entrance while your agent is in the front with other guests and unaware of someone’s presence.
- Put away your calendars. You don’t want people to take notice of when you will be on vacation and the house will be empty.
- If desired, remove pictures of your children.
- Put liquor, prescriptions, cigars, etc out of easy reach, especially for children.
- Remove or lock-up any firearms or weapons, keep them out of sight.
- Lock-up your passports and financial information.
- Ask your agent to make sure each person who walks through signs a roster.
- Check with your homeowner’s insurance company to make sure you have enough coverage if any damages were to occur.
This list is not intended to scare you. It is just a helpful checklist to make sure things don’t get missed. There have been and continue to be many successful open houses and many agents have been trained in making them very successful. For additional information you can view another article here or call The James Wehner Team to speak with an experienced Scottsdale REALTOR. 480.656.9125.
